Three days in which the whole of Lyon turns noir: France's largest festival of crime, thriller and noir fiction, and one of the biggest in Europe.
Source: quaisdupolar.com, checked on 11 September 2026.
Updated: September 2026
Quais du Polar takes over the city rather than an exhibition hall. The crime fiction market fills the Palais du Commerce, but talks, screenings and round tables are spread across theatres, libraries, cinemas and museums in central Lyon.
The festival has a signature: the city-wide investigation, a treasure hunt thousands of people follow each year, and a programme that takes the genre seriously — translation, justice, investigative journalism, not only signings.
The great majority of events are free; a few at partner venues are ticketed.
Log what you buy, your progress and the quotes you underline. Free, no account needed to start.
Start for freeNo ticket needed for the bulk of the programme. Some screenings and evening events at partner venues are ticketed.
The city-wide treasure hunt is the festival's most popular activity and an excellent way to see Lyon. Sign up as soon as registration opens.
Presqu'île, Vieux Lyon and the riverbanks are close together. Still leave twenty minutes between events.
Quais du Polar 2027 runs 2–4 Apr 2027 at Centre de Lyon (Palais du Commerce et divers lieux), Lyon.
At Centre de Lyon (Palais du Commerce et divers lieux), Lyon.
Yes, admission is free.
The great majority of events organised by the festival are free. Some events at partner venues are ticketed: check the official website.
No. The programme also covers translation, justice, journalism and cinema, and the city investigation works as a guided tour in disguise.